This invention generally relates to methods for maintaining, improving or increasing the synthesis of mucins, especially in the gastrointestinal tract and lungs. The invention further relates to maintaining, improving or increasing the synthesis of mucins in a patient by administering a nutritional composition to the patient wherein the nutritional composition contains a therapeutically effective amount of threonine. By increasing the synthesis of mucins, a variety of disease states characterized by alterations to the mucin levels, such as, intestinal inflammatory and bacterial infections or other like disease states, can be effectively treated.
Mucins are glycoproteins which are a primary component of the viscoelastic gel, or mucus, which covers most of the mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs. They are continuously secreted from the surfaces of the lung and gastrointestinal tract; for example from the goblet cells. They are in the form of large marcomolecules composed of a peptide core and oligosaccharide side chains. The oligosaccharide side chains are linked via O-glycosidic bonds to serine and threonine residues in the peptide core. The oligosaccharide side chains constitute approximately 90% of the mass of the mucins. Threonine constitutes about 22% by weight of the peptide core.
The mucus acts to protect the epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs from toxins such as acids, bile, digestive enzymes and from enteric bacteria and their toxins (Neutra, M. R. and Forstner, J. F.; 1987; Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract, second edition, Raven Press, N.Y., pages 975 to 1009). Hence the mucus functions as a major, local defense barrier which acts to prevent the invasion and systemic spread of bacteria and endotoxins normally present in the gastrointestinal tract or lungs. Hence the healthy status of the mucus is important to health.
However, many disease states are characterized by alterations in the mucus composition. For example, histochemical studies have demonstrated well characterized abnormalities in mucins during malignancy, cystic fibrosis, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcerative colitis and Crohn""s disease and during infection with intestinal nematode parasites (Tse, S-L, and Chadee, K; 1992; Infection and Immunity, Vol. 60, No 4, pages 1603-1612). Also, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are known to increase the risk of damage to mucosa by acid and pepsin. Also, patients undergoing inflammatory response may have impaired mucin production. The results of these changes or impairments are a variety of adverse effects; including bacterial translocation, gastritis, gastric erosions, peptic ulceration, and invasions of pathogenic bacteria.
There is therefore a need for a method of maintaining or improving the synthesis of mucins.
This invention provides methods for maintaining, improving or increasing the synthesis of mucins in a patient by administering a nutritional composition or supplement that contains a therapeutically effective amount of threonine. It has been surprisingly found that administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of threonine has a beneficial effect on the treatment of a variety of disease states characterized by alterations to the mucin levels, the condition of the mucus in general and other like beneficial effects.
In an embodiment, the present invention includes a method of treating a disease state characterized by alterations to the mucin levels in a patient wherein the method comprises enterally administering to the patient a nutritional composition which has a protein source including amino acids wherein threonine comprises at least 5.5% by weight of the amino acids.
In an embodiment, the present invention includes a method for maintaining the synthesis of mucins in a patient wherein the method comprises enterally administering to the patient a nutritional composition which has a protein source including amino acids wherein threonine comprises at least 5.5% by weight of the amino acids.
In an embodiment, the present invention includes a method for maintaining the synthesis of mucins in a patient wherein the method comprises enterally administering to the patient a nutritional composition which includes a protein source containing a therapeutically effective amount of threonine, a carbohydrate source and a lipid source including a mixture of medium chain triglycerides and long chain triglycerides.
In an embodiment, the present invention includes a method of treating a disease state characterized by alterations to the mucin levels in a patient. The method comprises enterally administering to the patient a nutritional composition which has a protein source including amino acids wherein threonine comprises at least 7.4% by weight of the amino acids.
In an embodiment, the present invention includes a method for maintaining the synthesis of mucins in a patient. The method comprises enterally administering to the patient a nutritional composition which has a protein source including amino acids wherein threonine comprises at least 7.4% by weight of the amino acids.
In an embodiment, the present invention includes a method for increasing the synthesis of mucins wherein the method comprises supplementing a diet of a patient by adding a therapeutically effective amount of threonine to the diet.
In an embodiment, the present invention includes a method for increasing the synthesis of mucins in a patient wherein the method comprises administering to the patient a nutritional composition that contains threonine in an amount of at least 30% a daily recommended amount of threonine.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for treating intestinal inflammation in a patient. The method includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of threonine.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for treating intestinal bacterial infection in a patient. The method includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of threonine.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for reducing oxidative stress due to acute intestinal inflammation. The method includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of threonine.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides improved methods for maintaining, improving or increasing the synthesis of mucins in a patient.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides methods for maintaining, improving or increasing the synthesis of mucins in a patient by administering a nutritional composition to the patient wherein the nutritional composition contains a therapeutically effective amount of threonine.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it provides methods for maintaining, improving or increasing the synthesis of mucins in a patient by increasing the food efficiency in a diet administered to the patient wherein the diet contains a therapeutically effective amount of threonine.
A still further advantage of the present invention is that it provides methods for treating a variety of disease states.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides methods for treating intestinal inflammation.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that it provides methods for treating intestinal bacterial infection.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that it provides methods for reducing oxidative stress due to acute intestinal inflammation by increasing the synthesis of mucins in a patient.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments.